“Rather than trying to restrain each other, you, French, held on to Stewart while kicking him.

“You were present and laughing when Richardson used a lit cigarette to cause a burn to his back.”

Mr White had been drinking alcohol at his partner’s home during the day on August 4 last year and left to go to Byker metro station in the late afternoon, reports the Newcastle Chronicle .

Prosecutor Michael Bunch told the court: “He had been drinking and his recollection is limited until he woke up in the RVI later that day with injuries to his head and face and missing property, including his mobile phone.

“What happened was witnessed by people in Hadrian Square, off Shields Road.

“A man was seen lying next to a bench on the floor and witnesses saw what they thought initially was people helping him but then, as matters unfolded, they saw two men, Stewart and Richardson, pulling at Mr White’s clothing.

“The two men appeared to be doing something to Mr White and laughing.

“A female, the defendant French, then approached Mr White, shouted at him and kicked him a number of times while he was on the floor.

“Richardson then put a cigarette onto the complainant’s lower back before pouring white powder over him and Stewart then punched him, knocking him on his back.”

Mr White was left with a circular red mark on his back from the cigarette and an injury to his face.

French, 25, of Raby Way, Byker, Richardson, 35, of Bentinck Road, Elswick and Stewart, 47, of no fixed address, all admitted assault while Stewart also admitted theft of the victim’s phone.

French and Richardson were given nine months suspended for 18 months while Stewart was locked up for 12 months.

The court heard French is a cleaner who is now pregnant and is tackling her drink and drugs issues and she claims she reacted to something Mr White said.

Richardson has terminal liver disease, the court heard.

Tony Hawks, for Stewart, said: “He was and still is a man with a serious alcohol problem.

“This area is an area of Shields Road where homeless people with substance abuse problems congregate.

“The defendant has been the victim of similar incidents where he doesn’t know why someone is kicking and punching him on the ground.

“Without wanting to sound flippant, it seems it was Mr White’s turn that day. It’s a sad state of affairs.”